Winning Drew's Heart
by Hopeful Writer
Summary: Jacob's supposed to be out to beat the other opponents. But Drew's optimistic personality makes it hard to be mad at him. So they become friends--good friends. Until Drew tells Jacob his biggest secret. Then Jacob winds up falling in love with him.


Disclaimer: I own nothing of Moolah Beach. It's not mine. Okay?

A/N – I love this show and I thought it would be cool to write a fic. This is a Jacob/Drew slash fic. This is just because they're my two favorite guys on the show. I wish one of them had won. So I paired them together and _presto!_ Instant couple. I'm sorry if anything is spelled wrong. I hit a button and my spell check shut off. I don't exactly know how to fix it, so I'm sorry in advance. I also apologize in advance for any misinformation in this story. I haven't seen the show in a long time and my memory can't always be trusted. I basically wrote this in a half-hour, with a nice little flash of inspiration. I hope you like it.

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Winning Drew's Heart

By: Hopeful Writer

I ran my hand through my hair mercilessly and I glanced at Chloe. She looked as nervous as I was. But she didn't have anything to prove. I was the little one, the baby. I wanted so badly to prove everyone wrong. I wanted to win. I really thought Chloe and I made a great team. We may have been paired last, but I felt we had a shot.

We watched the blue team leave. I truly felt bad for being a traitor to them, but there was nothing I could do now. The past was the past. As Kyle told me later, we had to do it. I didn't believe him, but I knew I couldn't change it. Besides, if it hadn't been them, it might have been us. Or Drew.

That day, the day Xavier and Chasiti left, I really met Drew. He instantly became my friend. He was great, always joking and laughing. He never seemed anything but optimistic. He was good at comforting people especially, for he could cheer them up in a heartbeat. 

He wanted to be friends with Clark and Kyle. But Kyle became a screen. He betrayed everyone who befriended him, so I cautioned Drew to stay away from him. I didn't realize, at the time, that Drew was attracted to Kyle. Clark, on the other hand, understood Drew better than I. I think that led them to becoming friends quickly. Clark liked Summer, as Kyle and I thought we did. And Drew supposedly liked Nancy. But it wasn't until later that I found out who he really liked.

I don't talk much about AJ because he was never really much of a friend to me. He was not mean, but he was not nice either. Does that make sense? Even now I'm not sure what kind of person he really was. He and Brittany secluded themselves usually. They were friends with Kyle and Shari, but that was really all. I knew Clark sometimes spoke to AJ, but I don't remember Drew every making much contact with him. I know I didn't.

I didn't talk much about Shari, Brittany, Summer, or Nancy, either, and very little about Chloe, my partner. I thought I had a crush on Summer. I sure felt like I did. But, whether I was attracted to her looks or her personality, I'm still not certain. Shari and Brittany made very little contact with me. They just didn't have an influence on me. Nancy was kind of a loner. She liked to talk to Shari, but she avoided everyone else, except Drew. Chloe was outgoing and optimistic, similar to Drew. There were times when she was my stellar opposite. We made a good team, set on winning, but not so closed-minded that we couldn't have fun. She was a great sport, as was I. We didn't care too much about winning to help out our friends, be them teammates or opponents. 

Drew helped me a lot through the few days we were together. When I was upset about looking like a baby he comforted me. If I cried, he made jokes and teased me gently until I stopped. He was the only person I didn't mind crying in front of. Even Chloe, who became a very good friend of mine, had never seen me cry. I may have been the smallest and the youngest, but I was determined to prove that I was not weak.

The time came when we realized one of our teams was going to be sent home. That was a time when I cried. And, surprisingly enough, Drew cried with me. It was the first time he'd let me see him weaken. And that's when I realized it: you're not weak if you cry, you're weak if you bottle it up inside.

"Jake?" Drew whispered in the dead of night. We were sitting on the beach, too nervous to sleep.

"What's up?" I returned, staring at the cold, dark sea. The waves lapped calmly at my ankles. I ran my hands under it and rubbed my face gently.

"Who are you going to miss when this is all over?"

I thought for a moment. "Chloe, Clark, Nancy, Summer, and you," I replied.

"Why not the others?"

I shrugged. "Don't talk to them as much."

"Why not Kyle?"

"I don't like Kyle, Drew," I told him, sighing. "I think he's a back-stabber."

Drew was silent. Normally he would have defended the older boy, but today he was at a loss for words. I broke the silence by asking, "Who will you miss?"

"Nancy, Chloe, Clark, Shari, Kyle, and you," he answered. I nodded quietly.

We were still for a long moment before he inquired, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course. Anything." I had no idea what anything would be.

"Jake, I'm gay."

I didn't know what to say. I mean, here was one of my best friends telling me he had affectiones for members of the same gender. It's not that I had a problem with it. I didn't think it was gross or disgusting. But I _was_ shocked. And I really didn't know how to respond.

"Maybe I shouldn't have told you." Drew suddenly interruppted my thoughts.

"No!" I exclaimed. "It's not that I don't understand or I don't dislike you because of it. I'm just a little surprised, that's all." And that's when it hit me: I was in love with Drew. And I knew he loved me back.

We both approached the subject cautiously, that warm night on the beach. I tried to hide it for a while, but I couldn't leave, or let him leave, without telling him how I felt.

"Drew?" I began after a few moments of silence and some more of small talk.

"Yeah?"

"You told me your secret. Can I tell you mine?"

Drew looked a little surprised. "Sure."

"I…" _This is your moment, Jake. Tell him now_, "I… l—love you," I blurted, stammering through the words.

Drew's eyes lit up. Never once did he imagine I could be playing a joke on him. He trusted me and I think he already knew, even before I did. That's why he told me his secret. But Drew was not one to say the words without any emotion. In fact, he didn't say the words. He leaned in, though. I closed my eyes in anticipation of the next sensation, but there was no way I could predict it. It was my first kiss and Drew was the first person I'd ever loved. And probably the last.

When we broke off, he wasn't blushing. "I love you, too, Jake. I have ever since that day we started talking, when Xavier and Chasiti left. You're so sweet and innocent, how could I not have loved you?"

I felt a tiny blush illuminate my cheeks. Drew had a way of flattering me that made me feel very warm inside.

When Chloe and I were asked to leave, merely three days later, Drew sobbed. I remember him holding me, me holding him as we cried together, in seclusion, just us. "I love you, Drew," I mumbled into his black sleeveless shirt. He also did look great in sleeveless.

He wiped his eyes. "I love you, too, Jake. I also have and I know I always will." He thrust a piece of paper into my hand. "Call me," he whispered.

I nodded. Chloe called my name. I had to leave. "Bye, Drew," I breathed, not wanting to say the words out loud. 

"There are no good-byes," he reprimanded. "Only see-you-laters."

I smiled through my tears. "Okay. See you later."

He kissed me briefly. "See you later."

As the boat pushed away, I turned to look back. Shari, Nancy, Summer, and Brittany were waving to Chloe. Kyle gave me a friendly nod. He was glad I was leaving. I had been competition. Clark smiled at me, and clapped a hand on Drew's shoulder. Drew was looking at his feet, but he looked up at Clark's touch. Clark, who had always known and understood Drew. Drew caught my eye one last time and then he disappeared from my vision.

Four months later, I saw him again. He had matured a lot, but he was still the same old Drew. My Drew. A few months of teasing about his romantic opinion had toughed him a little, but he lightened up around me. My parents had quickly accepted my decision to be gay with no problem. They wouldn't have given me a hard time about it. The kids at school, well, my true friends stuck by me, but I suffered some hard times, too. But seeing Drew again made it all worthwhile.

He greeted me with the same voice I'd longed to hear for four months. "Hey, Jake, what's up? I missed you." 

I saw the other Moolah kids again, but not as often as I saw Drew. We dated for a long time and finally moved in together during college. Drew didn't pressure me into doing anything "extreme" with our relationship; he was happy just being with me. And I was happy with him.

I suppose I didn't actually win Moolah Beach like I'd intended to. But I won something far more important: Drew's heart.

~~THE END~~

A/N – I know that was a little corny, but I wanted to get it out. I'm really bad with endings too. Well, tell me what you think. Please review. Flames accepted, criticism appreciated, compliments worshipped. Flames are allowed, but they will only be erased to use for s'mores. Until next time, this is Hopeful Writer, signing out. Good bye.


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